Cedar continues to be selected by millions. It’s attractive, insect and rot-resistant, and comes in a variety of shades. Western Red Cedar is just what it sounds like, a reddish wood. Northern White Cedar is actually a pale yellow, much lighter than its reddish cousin.

Cedar can stand on its own for years with little care. But treating it will make it last many years longer, while optimizing its appearance. Oils take to cedar very well. They help keep out potentially harmful moisture and give the wood a rich look. Stains are another viable option, and have the added feature of offering some UV protection.

Redwood is another popular choice, and for obvious (and some less obvious) reasons. It’s beautiful and it, too, is naturally insect resistant, since it contains compounds that repel or kill many species. Similar molecules that occur in the wood naturally reduce mildew and other fungi from degrading the wood.

Staining is less common with redwood, since it’s already a shade that many people prefer. That is, after all, one of the major reasons they buy it. But some treatment is still advisable to keep that redwood lasting for years without needing replacement. A shellac or even a subtle oil will add considerably to its normal lifetime.

Composites have long been used as decking material and they’re making their way into fencing more and more. Made, as the name suggests, of a composite of wood shavings and resin, they strongly resemble natural wood. At the same time, they offer many more years of life while keeping their new appearance much longer than most natural wood. They also require much less maintenance and rarely need treatment.

Composites can be painted. Some can even take stain. Neither is usually necessary, though, since composites can be purchased with the desired look already incorporated. That helps offset their higher price. In the long run, they’re almost always less expensive because of their long life.

Beyond the choice of materials, there are dozens of wood fence design options.

Design choices are influenced by the cost of materials, the desired look and the skill of the builder. But even with these criteria, the possibilities are limited chiefly by the imagination of the designer. Based on what’s available, that limit is amazingly high. Modern fencing has grown to encompass styles as diverse as the types of computer or clothing on the market.

The traditional picket fence remains steadfastly popular today. The equally traditional slat-butt style in which boards are simply lined up shoulder to shoulder is still highly useful and attractive. Many variations cap the fence with a lattice-type fencing that lets through sunlight and gives the fence a stylish look.

One outstanding option is the offset style. Slats are still placed side by side, but offset by a few inches forward or backward from one another. While small animals can get through, this style does provide privacy and an attractive alternative appearance.

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Vinyl fencing is long lived. Since it’s a kind of plastic it can weather wind and rain for a decade or more and still look practically brand new. Clean it up and you’ll hardly know it was installed years earlier. It resists peeling or cracking and won’t rot. Insects will be completely uninterested in eating your fence.

Because vinyl fences are made from non-porous, modified PVC resin mildew can’t penetrate and is easily washed off. Where mildew is seen on a vinyl fence it’s because dirt and other organic matter has adhered to the surface. Brushing with a mild soap and water can cure the problem. For longer term protection, a mild bleach spray can be used.

Vinyl can be made to closely resemble wood. With molded grain, once the vinyl is painted, you may have to actually touch the fence to tell the difference. Painting isn’t always required, though, since you can buy vinyl fences in a dozen different colors. Darker colors do tend to fade, though, so take that into account when making a selection.

For those who want to paint vinyl the process requires only a clean surface and the right kind of paint. Be sure to start with a dirt-free surface and check the label to ensure that the type of paint used adheres well to vinyl. Not all do.

It’s also ultra-easy to construct a vinyl fence. There’s no nailing or screwing parts together. If the fence is built in sections, vinyl fence assemblies usually just snap together by means of molded tabs designed right into the material.

Two types of vinyl are available: mono-extruded and co-extruded. Mono-extruded vinyl produces fences of a single layer. It’s embedded during manufacturing with UV resistant chemicals (usually titanium dioxide) to slow down fading. Even white vinyl that’s untreated will eventually harden under the sun, making it more susceptible to cracking when bent. Co-extruded vinyl is a dual-layer construction, with the outer layer containing the UV-resistant compounds. It is often less expensive.

Designs run the gamut.

Faux-wood picket fencing is a popular style. Since it is made in the thickness and height of wood pickets, it often closely resembles a traditional picket fence painted white. The tipoff is usually the seamless horizontal cross-members or rails. They tend to look somewhat like they’re secured with plastic ‘welding’.

Another popular production method uses vinyl to create what is called waffle or cleft fencing. The names may be unfamiliar but nearly everyone has seen this type. It resembles a large sheet of basket weave, with narrow slats that thread through one another. It makes for an attractive and fairly sturdy option that can be used around the garden, to fence off sections of sidewalk and other areas around the home.

For an attractive and long-lasting option, consider a vinyl fence. Do it once and forget about it for years.

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The choice of wood itself will help provide some protection. Pressure treated lumber is the common means of providing that first layer of defense. A good sealer, applied within a few months, is the next. Sealers provide protection not only against invading organisms like fungus or insects, but also help warping, cracking or splitting.

Primers or sealers are perhaps the most basic option. They perform that single needed service. Some go a step further and mask imperfections in the wood. All have their value. Any compound that contains a water-repellent preservative is a good choice, since moisture is a major factor in the degradation of wood outdoors.

There are three basic types: latex, shellac and alkyd. Latex can cover marks or black tannic acid stains and provide a base for later treatments. Shellac forms a hard surface that will endure years of harsh treatment from wind and rain. Alkyd soaks into the wood and creates a barrier to moisture and fungi that grow in it. Many sealers also have an actual fungicide as part of the mixture.

A wood sealer used on soft woods will allow for a more even application of stain. For those who like the look of natural wood, and therefore choose a wood-toned (low pigment) stain, it makes for a good choice.

For wood that has been around a while a sealer can only provide limited benefit unless the wood is first treated with something else. That something else is usually a form of oxalic acid, a material that may go by the name of ‘wood cleaner’ or ‘wood bleach’, or even ‘wood brightener’. Many deck washes contain oxalic acid.

As wood ages it tends to become gray. That’s true of a wide variety of common species used in fences, such as pine, oak or cedar. Oxalic acid is no miracle cure. But the results do often astound those who have mostly given up on refinishing their fence. It reaches down into the top layers, ‘fluffing’ them up, killing mold and fungus, and making many fences look nearly new and bare.

Many a fence has gained several more years of life from a simple application of this wash. It can be ‘painted’ on with a brush or sprayed on.

Once the fence dries the wood is ready for treatment to keep it looking good. That usually comes down to painting or staining. Sealers can help, but they won’t be as useful as they would on new wood since even oxalic-acid washed wood fences that are several years old don’t have the absorbency of new wood.

The choices here usually come down to stain or paint. Stains, strictly speaking, don’t protect wood – they merely color it. But many types are combined in the can with compounds that do provide that feature. All paints, whether latex or oil-based, will not only color but by their nature also protect.

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But, even with some of that expertise applied to modern fencing, a fence will still degrade fairly rapidly unless some preventive measures are taken. Luckily, thanks to that same high-tech we enjoy today, there are several options for doing just that.

Paint is one of the traditional choices and it has been enhanced beyond belief by contemporary chemistry. Every imaginable range of prices is available. Latex is one option, oil is another. Alkyds are available that will outlast the wood they cover.

Latex is easy to apply and typically less expensive than the rest. But, it does have a downside: it tends to peel over time. It spreads easy and looks great at first. That might be good enough for many fences in many areas. But harsh winters, heavy spring rainfall or baking summer sun – and some climates have all three – will peel it off within a few years.

Oil or alkyd-based paint is a little more expensive, and trickier to apply evenly. But with a little practice it can produce a fine finish. It weathers well and seals wood to keep out moisture.

The major difference between the two is in the binder. Latex paints use, as the name suggests, a latex binder to keep pigments and solvents together. An oil-based paint uses an extract of vegetable oil to perform that task.

Another, equally popular option for treating fences is stain, which itself comes in a variety of colors and types. There are wood-toned, semi-transparent and solid color stains.

Wood-tone stain allows most of the natural grain of the wood to show through, while providing a layer of protection from air and water. They do have some pigment, however. Semi-transparent types provide some show-through of the texture while adding a bit of color. Solid colors will appear almost like paint (though they’re made of different chemicals), but grain can be seen close up.

In general, the darker the stain the more long lasting it will be, though the differences can be minor. The darker types tend to last longer because they resist UV radiation a little better. Often, the look you want will outweigh that consideration.

A purely clear option is available in the form of shellac or an oil that contains no pigment. They provide excellent protection from wind and rain while allowing the natural look of the wood to shine through. UV protection, though, is minimal. For cedar and other colored woods, some fading of the original is to be expected over a period of years.

Costs, ease of application and personal preferences will all play a role when choosing how to treat a wood fence. Fortunately, thanks to modern chemistry, you can’t go wrong when you want the natural look of real wood.

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Aluminum is a common base material for ornamental fences. It’s sturdy, resists oxidation and can be shaped into any desired form. Even traditional styles like a wrought iron spiked fence are often actually made of aluminum today.

Traditional wrought iron is still an option, though. Fortunately, modern materials and manufacturing have considerably improved the traditional attributes of this stylish fence. The look and feel are the same, but contemporary wrought iron is much less brittle. It’s much less prone to rusting, too.

But metal is far from the only choice of material for ornamental fences.

Vinyl is a popular choice. It can be extruded in any conceivable shape and is made in a huge variety of colors. Vinyl lasts practically forever without cracking or peeling. But one of the biggest benefits is it is highly adaptable. It’s an excellent choice for enclosing oddly shaped areas because many types can be curved.

Wood remains hugely popular. It lends itself readily to being cut in just about any shape imaginable. And, judging by the styles available, the imagination of designers is amazingly varied. A picket fence would once have been considered ornamental, and it still is. But contemporary designs go far beyond that one style. The sheets for wooden ornamental fencing may be scallop-shaped, waffle or cleft, or elaborately carved.

Still, that’s nothing compared to the creativity exhibited on posts today. Integrated lighting and marbelized or highly ornate metal caps are only two of the dozens of options available.

That suggests one of the things that makes a fence ornamental: the many accessories that can be used to dress up the design. Traditional wrought iron may be topped with a French-style triad spear or a more British-looking quad-flare. The New England-style ball cap is another option. Rings that hang from sections of the fence or the gate add yet another element to the overall style.

An ornamental gate is the surest way to optimize the look and functionality of any ornamental fence. The design is integrated with the rest of the fence, but also provides for more options. A family crest, a logo or just an interesting feature can easily be incorporated.

Adding automatic gate controls can make that design complete. That minimizes wear and tear on decorative elements while it adds convenience. They’re often integrated into stylish hinges and may replace an otherwise ordinary latch.

Consider an ornamental fence and add an element of beauty to your list of functional needs.

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Cute as they are, rabbits can chew bare holes in the lawn. They also love to munch on several different types of flowers, often biting the stalks down to the ground. Fortunately, with only modest effort and expense, you can build a fence to keep them out.

There are two key things to remember when trying to rabbit-proof your garden or lawn. One, rabbits can dig. Second, they can squeeze through openings that appear smaller than their bodies.

Rabbits are often found above ground, to be sure. They’re not gophers. But they make homes by digging small tunnels and caves in the Earth. That shows that any fence that does no more than skim the surface is unlikely to keep these creatures at bay for very long. So, when planning your fence, plan for that.

Part of building a fence always involves deciding on the height you want the slats or chain link and posts to be. That in turn is dictated by your preferred look, legal restraints, the cost of materials and so forth. But be sure to add an extra foot not only for the posts but for the slats as well.

That will make building the fence a bigger effort. Sinking posts is difficult enough, but there is generally only one for every eight feet or more. Sinking slats (or chain link) a foot under the ground is certainly harder than simply laying fence across it. Whether the effort is worthwhile depends on how serious you are about keeping the rabbits from digging under.

The second aspect of building a fence is equally important. Rabbits can squeeze through an opening only a few inches wide, small ones even less. Keeping them out requires spacing the slats close enough to prevent access.

Here again, the cost of materials, the effort required and your intended design will influence how close together your fence slats will be. Chain link is a standard size, and will keep them out, so it’s not an issue here.

One way to offset both a higher cost and maintain a desired look is to space slats however you like, but supplement the lower two to three feet with mesh or chain link. Rabbits do hop far, but they can only leap up a foot or so to get through a fence.

A mesh can also add a nice design element at only moderate cost. But keep in mind that rabbits can chew easily through any plastic or cloth. If the fence is to be of any value in this situation, it needs to be a sturdy material, usually metal.

To keep the expense down, an alternative plan is simply to limit the extra protection only to gardens and flower beds. Planting an out of the way section of yard with clover will encourage them to favor that area. They will still feed elsewhere, but it improves the odds. That will reduce the number (and height) fence slats or chain link needed.

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It will surprise some people, but deer are not limited to forests. In many areas of the Northwest, the South, the Northeast and elsewhere they are often found in urban settings. Provided they’re not molested, they’ll happily live a lifetime in neighborhoods that just offer a few shade trees and plentiful bushes. And, your gardens.

Deer feed on a variety of bushes, plants, flowers and even tree branches. Since they’re cute, people will often add to the menu by erecting feeders and stocking them with sunflower seeds, corn, apples and other things that these animals dearly love.

But deer don’t limit themselves. If a flower is of the species they like, they’ll eat that too. If your favorite bush is part of their diet, it can be gone in a few days. To prevent that requires careful selection of plants and/or a good fence.

But what’s a ‘good’ fence where deer are concerned?

The primary requirement is: something tall enough to discourage the deer from jumping over it to get to the plants. The second is: it needs to be strong enough to discourage them from pushing through it. Third, it should be far enough back from the plants to keep the deer from leaning past it to feed.

The fence need not be as high as deer can leap. A medium-sized frightened deer, or one really desperate for food, can jump over a five-foot fence. But that height is rarely needed. Even a fence just two and half feet high will keep them from feeding on flowers they would normally eat in a heartbeat, especially if there’s a feeder nearby offering easier pickings.

Chain link is a relatively inexpensive option and fully strong enough to keep deer away from the plants. But if you go this route, get a design that doesn’t leave sharp spikes at the top. That’s not only dangerous to kids and adults, any deer that leaps over can get caught on the prongs or scraped.

Even if you’re not an animal lover, that’s a result you don’t want. A wounded deer can harm plants, injure anyone nearby and attracts predators such as dogs or large cats. Keep the fence safe for people and the deer and everyone will be better off.

A wood fence is a good option. But you’ll need to ensure that the slats are placed narrow enough to prevent smaller deer from slipping through. Anything less than a foot will normally suffice.

It will also need to be strong enough to resist pushing. Even a hungry deer is rarely clever enough to push through a fence to get to food. But they’ll lean into one, try to move a head through slats and so forth in order to get to food. Well-sunk posts and good bracing will solve the problem.

Last, make sure the fence is far enough back from the plants to serve its purpose. Bushes that grow near the fence won’t prevent deer from feeding near the edge. Keep at least a foot, preferably two, between the fence perimeter and any flowers or other plants that deer like.

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Spend some time visualizing the final result. Do you want to encircle a rectangular area completely? Do you want to install a gate in the center? Do you want to place mesh at the base and/or under the surface to keep out rabbits or gophers? Do you want it tall enough to discourage deer? Will it be straight or curved?

All these decisions influence the amount and type of materials.

Measuring the area is simple and the first step required after you’ve worked out a design. The size may also influence the choice of materials. Be prepared to consume a little more than you expect based on the area to surround. Pickets break and horizontal supports sometimes split when nailed. Stain may not always turn out like you expect since each wood piece is unique in the way it absorbs and reflects.

Next, decide on your choice of materials. Here, two basic options are wood or vinyl.

Vinyl works well, but it’s usually reserved for pre-made sections of fence. Nothing wrong with that. It can be a great way to put together a few sections in any needed arrangement. Vinyl can even be painted before or after the fence is erected, though it’s often unneccessary.

There are several different wood species that make excellent picket fence material. Red cedar is popular, but even ordinary white pine makes for a fine choice. After all, if you don’t like the look it can easily be painted or stained.

Now that all the pre-construction steps are done, it’s on to the actual fence building.

A set of 2 x 4s make for excellent horizontal cross-members (or rails as they’re often called) to support a series of vertical pickets. Eight-foot pieces of pine are perfect for covering large areas and provide plenty of strength. They can easily be sawed to any needed shorter length. Just lay them on the garage or workshop floor and measure carefully. Raise them up enough to avoid damaging the saw and slice away. A saw horse is a great tool for those who don’t have a bench or table saw.

Picket fence slats can usually be bought in a height that doesn’t require any trimming. Just pick out ones corresponding to your design and add a few inches if you intend to have a portion in the ground.

Lay two horizontal cross-members onto the ground and put the desired number of picket fence slats on them at right angles. Space them according to your design, usually from 4-6 inches apart. You can use a T-square to get the angle right or draw lines on the cross-members and line the pickets up that way.

Then, simply hammer in nails of the right length or use screws to fasten them together. Finishing nails will look a little neater but not hold as well. Four penny (4d) nails are 1 1/2 inch and work well.

When you have a section of fence assembled, complete it by using L-braces at the ends that will attach to posts to add extra support. Sections can be attached either with flat braces or, with most designs, using posts at the corners and at least every eight feet.

Then just paint or stain according to your desired look.

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Fencing horses introduces special design requirements. Not only are these animals very strong, but they’re easily spooked. A frightened horse will run at full gallop to escape perceived danger – from an unfamiliar dog, a loud sound, a person or another horse. When they do they often don’t see what is close to them.

That fact introduces the need for several basic criteria for any good horse fence, whether one for a corral or to enclose a larger area.

A horse fence has to be able to withstand considerable pressure. Horses rarely simply knock down a fence to get to a desired area. But when they’re frightened they can butt it, kick it or try to jump it. Providing a sturdy fence does more than prevent costly repairs, though. It helps ensure the safety of the horse. A fence that comes down partially is a danger.

High tensile steel horse fencing is one way to satisfy that criterion. That can be in the form of chain link with a gauge designed for horse fencing, the lower number the better. It also means ultra-sturdy posts. Standard fencing requires a post hole about 1/3 of the length of the post. Horse fencing increases that depth, unless the distance is compensated for by extra concrete or special construction.

One way to increase the safety factor and lower the odds of expensive repairs is to make the fence very easy for the horse to see. Horses tend to look further off, to spot danger at a distance. That means that any fence to which they’ll get close needs to be very obvious.

A simple post and rail wood fence can fulfill that need. The traditional design seen in hundreds of films and TV shows is still used because it still does the job well. Cost is part of the reason, of course. But no sensible horse owner would make that the only important factor. Their horses are too valuable, financially and emotionally to consider only the price of the fence.

Whatever the design, the fence should be at least 4-5 feet high. The lower section should have no more than about 12 inches clearance but no less than eight. That prevents a young foal from rolling under, but eliminates the risk of getting a hoof trapped at the bottom.

Another design element that should be incorporated is the correct shape. It’s no accident that most horse fencing contains few if any corners. Horses, like many animals, have dominance rituals. Unlike good people, though, even the best of horses don’t settle their differences by polite conversation. A more aggressive horse will frequently try to trap another into a corner. Eliminating that possibility allows the other horse to move away, which lessens the conflict for both.

Consider carefully how you will build your horse fence. Both you and your animal will be happier as a result.

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When you’ve decided where the posts should go dig a hole at each spot about a third of the length of the post plus six inches. Using a post-hole digger is the best way, since it removes the minimum amount of dirt needed, leaving the rest for support. In a pinch a sturdy shovel will do. Try to remove no more dirt than necessary.

If you can’t manage a third of the length of the post plus six inches, extra support can be provided by a combination of more gravel and/or concrete around the post or extra bracing. More concrete will require a slightly wider hole.

Once you’ve emptied the hole, tamp the earth down inside as well as possible. Then fill at least half the hole with water and let it subside. Observe how long it takes to drain. That will give an indication of how loose the soil is and the type. Fast draining indicates loose or sandy soil. Less solid earth requires more gravel and/or concrete and possibly a deeper and slightly wider hole.

Keep in mind that in most climates rain will sooner or later soak the area around the post. The goal is to set the post and build the fence to withstand a range of weather, including high winds and buckets of rain. A little extra effort at this stage will save a lot more in lack of repairs later.

Once the earth is tamped down, fill the bottom six inches with gravel or concrete or both. Concrete should set enough to allow the post to stand up straight without support, but not enough to prevent inserting the post. That will vary from an hour to several hours depending on the mixture and the weather. Follow the instructions on the bag.

If concrete is used, while it’s setting treat the post. If the post and/or fence is wood that is to be stained, stain the entire length. At minimum, treat the portion that will go into the hole plus a few inches above. Moisture is the number one factor that will weaken a wood post prematurely. Even metal posts for chain link should be treated with a preservative, in order to keep rust at bay.

At the right time, place the post and wiggle it around to secure it into the gravel or eliminate any air bubbles in the concrete between the post and mortar. To make sure it’s straight, use a level. If necessary, tie string around the post in three directions and stake it, tensioning the string to make and keep the post straight.

Let everything sit for at least a day.

For added strength, fence posts can be braced at the base. A slat attached at a 45 degree on at least two sides (preferably three) is one option. A L-brace that can be staked into the ground and attached to the post is another option.

Place a small mound of earth and gravel at the base of each post in order to provide a method for water to run off.

If your ground is very firm, it’s possible to use instead metal fence post stakes to provide a support for the post. These are square metal ‘cups’ about six inches on an edge with a 12-18 inch long spike at the base. They’re hammered into the ground, then the post is placed in the ‘cup’ and secured with a nut and bolt. They can be very sturdy and support ample weight.

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